Boiler-pressure-indicating alarm



(No Model.) 3 Sheets$heet '1.

. J. J. WHITTLESEY'.

BOILER PRESSURE INDICATING ALARM.

No. 592,856. Patented Nov. 2 1897.

3 sheetswsheet 3.

(No Model I J. J.- WHITTLESEY.

BOILER PRESSURE INDIGATING ALARM.

Patented Nov. *2, 1897.

NITED STATES PATENT Fries.

BOILER-PRESSU'RE-INDICATING ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,856, dated November 2, 1897.

. Application filed. April 20,1897. Serial No. 633,024:- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN JACoB WHITTLE- SEY, a citizen of. the United States, residing at Ann Arbor, in the county of Washtenaw andState of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Alarms for Steam-Boilers, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to automatic alarms for steam-boilers; and the object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class which is simpleinconstruction and operation and which is adapted to'be connected with steam-boilers of. any form or construction and to be operated whenever the pressure therein reaches a predetermined point.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which Figure 1 is an end view of a number of boilers to which my improved alarm is ap-' plied; Fig. 2, an interior perspective View of an engine-room, showing a portion of an upright steam-cylinder which is in connection with a boiler (not shown) and showing my improved alarm mounted in said room; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of the operative parts of the alarm device which I employ; Fig. 4, a section at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 3 and showing the gong or bell which forms a part of the alarm device and the means by which it is operated; Fig. 5, a plan view of the top offa tubular casing which forms a part of the alarm device, a section of which is shown in Figs. 3 and 4; Fig. 6, a similar view of a partition-plate which is employed therein; Fig. 7, a plan view of another partition-plate; Fig. 8,a similar view showing valves connected with the partition-plate shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9, a longitudinal section of the alarm device similar to Fig. 4., showing the operative parts in a different position; and Fig. 10, a sectional view of the upper part of the alarm device at right angles to that shown in Fig. 9 and showing the bell or gong partly in section.

In the drawings forming part of this specification the separate parts of my improve.

ment are designated by the same numerals of reference in each of the views, and in Fig.

1 I have shown a plurality of boilers 5, which, as shown in the drawings, are three in number, and these boilers are each provided with asteam-pipe 6, which are in connection with a pipe 7, and the pipe 7 is provided with tubular arms 8, one of which is provided with a steam-gage 9 and the other with an escape-valve 10, and the tubular arms 8 are connected with the pipe 7 by a double-elbow coupling 11, with which my improved safetyalarm 12 is also connected.

In Fig. 2 I have shown the interior of an engine-room and my improved alarm supported therein, and the alarm inthis case is in connection with a boiler orv boilers by means of a pipe 13, this view being intended simply to show how the alarm may be mounted in an engine-room.

My improved safety-alarm consists, reference being made'to Figs. 3 and 4., of the tubular casing 12, which is open at its lower end and screw-threaded, as shown at 14, in order that it may be connected with a boiler or with a steam-pipe leading therefrom, and placed in the lower end of the tubular casing 12 or secured therein in any desired manner is a partition-plate 15, which is provided with a central circular opening 16, and the partitionplate 15 is provided on the upper side thereof with transverse I keepers 17, in which are mounted sliding valve-plates 18 and secured to the keepers 17, and the said valve-plates 18 are provided with springs 19, which operate to force the valve-plates inwardly, so as to close the circular opening in the partitionplate 15.

The valve-plates 18 are provided centrally of their adjacent surfaces with semicircular cavities or recesses 20, which do not extend entirely therethrough, and when said valveplates are forced together by the springs 19 these semicircular cavities or recesses 20 form a conical cavity or recess, as will be readily understood and the purpose of which will be hereinafter described, and the 'central portion of said valve-plates in which these semicircular notches or recesses are formed are thicker than the main part thereof, as shown in Figs. 3, 4., and 9.

Secured within the casing 12, above the middle thereof, is a partition-plate 21, which is provided centrally with an angular openand passing through said partitionplate 21 is a piston-shaft 23, which is also angular in cross-section, and said piston-shaft is provided above the lower end thereof with a piston 24, which is adapted to closely fit the casing 12, and between the partitionplate 21 and the piston 2% is a strong spiral spring 25.

The lower end of the piston-shaft is provided with a conical head 26, the apex of which is directed downwardly, and said conical head is provided in the opposite sides thereof with longitudinal grooves 27, which are deeper at their upper than at their lower ends and which extend about two-thirds of the length of said conical head.

The piston-shaft 23 is provided near its upper end with a pin or projection 28, which rests'on the partition-plate 21 when said shaft is in the position shown in Fig. 4c, and hinged to the upper end of said shaft at 29 is an extension 30, which is similar in form to said shaft in transverse section, and secured to the upper end of the shaft 23 is a spring 31, the free end of which bears upon the extension 30, and said extension 30 is provided opposite said spring with ashonlder or projection 32, the upper side of which is inclined downwardly and outwardly.

The upper end of the casing 12 is provided with a cap-plate 33, one side of which is provided with a slot or opening 31, which extends inwardly to and slightly beyond the center of said cap-plate, and the extension 30 of the piston-shaft 23 passes out through said slot or opening, and said extension 30 of the shaft is also provided at or near its lower end and on the side thereof opposite the pin or projection 28 on the shaft 23 with a similar pin or projection 35, and the upper end of the extension 30 of the piston-shaft 23 is preferably provided with a wedgeshaped projection 36.

Supported adjacent to the upper end of the casing 12 is a bell or gong 37, and pivoted adjacent thereto is a lever 38, one end of which is provided with a ball or head 39, which is adapted to operate in connection with said hell or gong, and the opposite end of said lever in its normal position rests upon the upper end of the extension 30 of the end of the piston-shaft 23, and secured to the end of the lever 38 opposite that with which the ball or head 30 is connected is a spring 40, by which said ball or head is held normally in contact wit-l1 the hell or gong.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following statement thereof.

The normal position of the parts of the device is that shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and in this position of said parts the conical head 26 011 the lower end of the piston-shaft 23 is forced downwardly by the spring through the central opening 16 in the partition-plate 15, and the valve-plates 18 are pressed against said conical head by the springs 19, but the steam is free to pass through the grooves 27 into the steam-chamber 41 between the piston 24: and the partition-plate 15. As the steam reaches the point at which it is desired that the alarm should operate the piston 2% is forced upwardly against the operation of the spring 25, and the egress of the steam into the chamber -11 is gradually cut oil by the valve-plates 1S, and'as the piston 2a is forced upwardly the extension thereof raises the outer end of the lever 38 against the operation of the spring 40, and when the steam forces the piston 2i upwardly until the groove 27 in the conical head 26 on the piston-shaft 23 are raised above the valve-plates 18 the said partition-plates will be forced inwardly, and the flow of the steam through the partitionplate 15 will be cut off. At the same time the outer end of the lever 38 will be disconnected from the upper end of the lever 30, and the spring will at once operate to sound the alarm. In this operation the lower end of the conical head 26 will rest in the cavities or recesses 20 and completely fill the same, as will be readily understood, and the flow of steam will be stopped. This disconnection of the extension 30 of the shaft 23 from'the lever 38 is eifectcd by means of the shoulder or projection 32 on said extension 30, said shoulder or projection operating upon the end wall of the slot 34; in the plate 33, so as to turn the upper end of the extension 30 of the piston-shaft out from beneath the end of the lever 38, and the operation of the hell or gong 37 will give notice, as will be readily understood, that the steam in the boiler is at too high a pressure. The steam in the steamchamber all after the alarm has been sounded immediately begins to condense, and the spring 25 will again force the head 26 of the piston 23 downwardly, and the point thereof will enter the conical cavity or recess formed in the partition-plate 18 and will force said plates apart, and the said conical head 26 of the piston-shaft 23 will again assume the position shown in Fig. 4, and the device will again be in position for operation.

This device is simple in construction and operation and is perfectly adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and in practice the valve-plates 18 may be provided with a facing of any desired material in order that the connection between said plates when they are forced together may be steam-tight, and other changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A safety-alarm for steam-boilers, consisti'ng of a tubular casing which is adapted to be connected with a boiler, or steam-pipe communicating therewith, said tubular casing being provided near its lower end with a partition-plate in which is formed a circular opening, a piston mounted in said casing, above said partition -plate, a piston-shaft which passes through said piston, and is provided at its lower end with aconical head which is adapted to pass through the central opening in said partition-plate, and another partition-plate mounted in said casing and through which said piston-shaft passes, and between which and said piston, is a spiral spring and means connected with the upper end of said piston shaft for sounding an alarm, substantially as shown and described.

2. A safety-alarm for steam-boilers consisting of a tubular casing which is adapted to be connected with a boiler, or a steam-pipe connected therewith, said tubular casing being provided near its lower end wit-h a partition-plate in which is formed a circular opening, a piston mounted in said casing, above said partition-plate, a piston-shaft which passes through said piston, and is provided at its lower end with a conical headwhich is adapted to pass through the central opening in the said partition-plate, and another partition-plate mounted in said casing, and through which said piston-shaft passes, and between which and said piston, is a spiral spring and means connected with the upper end of said piston-shaft for sounding an alarm, consisting of an extension which is hinged to said shaft at one side thereof, and which projects through a slot or opening formed in the upper end plate of said casing, said extension being provided at one side with a shoulder or projection, and said shaft with a spring which bears upon the opposite side of said extension, and a pivoted lever in connection with which said extension opwhich passes therethrough, and the lower end of which is provided with a conical head 26, which is adapted to pass through the circular opening in said partition-plate, and between said valves, said casing being also provided with another partition-plate through which the piston-shaft passes, and between which and the piston is a spiral spring 25, said casin g being also provided with an end or cap plate 33, in which is formed a slot or opening and said piston-shaft being provided with a hinged spring-operated extension 30,a springoperated lever 38, pivotally mounted above said casing 12 adapted to operate in connection with a bell or gong, and to be operated by the said extension of said piston-shaft, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 12th day of April, 1897.

JOHN JACOB WHITTLESEY.

Witnesses:

DUANE REED STUART, MATTHEW BEALE WHITTLESEY. 

